RWBYKARE-Volume 1
by TeamMCDS
Summary: The members of Team KAIN and Team AHSY arrive at Beacon Academy. What adventures await them in the World of Remnant?


Alexander and Sebastian looked around the entrance to Beacon Academy. They saw so many different faces around the courtyard. Some looked nervous, others calm, but many others were eager.

"Wow," Sebastian said, "There are so many people here, Alex."

"There are, Sebastian," Alex replied. He wore his black goggles over his eyes and dragged a rolling suitcase behind him in his hand.

While walking through the crowd, the pair stopped in front of a statue in the courtyard. The statue had a man and a woman standing on top of a rocky outcropping. Below the pair stood a Beowolf on its hind legs in an aggressive stance. The man had a sword in his right hand, and he had raised it in a triumphant gesture. The woman had a double-edged battle-ax in her left hand.

"Hey Alex," Sebastian said, pulling out his Scroll. "We should get a picture together to commemorate our first year at Beacon. Sound good?"

"Sure. That sounds like a great idea," Alex responded. "Do you want to take the picture? Or should I?"

"Hmmm," Sebastian thought out loud, looking around. Spotting a boy with short dark hair with a green sheen and green eyes, Sebastian walked over to him and asked, "Could you take a picture of my brother and me, please?"

The boy, who had a backpack slung over his shoulders, a tan scarf wrapped around his neck, and a shaggy-looking tan poncho covered his top, nodded. He took the Scroll from Sebastian as the two brothers posed in front of the statue. Upon snapping the picture of the two, the tan scarfed boy handed the Scroll back to Sebastian.

"Thanks, man," Sebastian said. "Look, Alex, he took the picture very well."

Alex came over to look at the picture. "He certainly did."

"Say," Sebastian addressed their cameraman, "You wouldn't happen to know where the Auditorium is? We need to get there before it gets much later."

The boy nodded silently and motioned for them to follow him. Alex and Sebastian followed their guide as the sun shone down upon their backs.

* * *

Kayden Creiso sat on a stone bench while students passed him by on their way to the Amphitheater. The air was warm, with a gentle breeze blowing in his face. He was in no rush at all to set foot in the school.

His eyes began to droop as the warm air blew past him when suddenly, a giant of a man stood in front of him.

"Hello!" the giant said in a booming voice.

Kayden yelped like a fox and leaped ten feet into the air off the bench. After making contact with the ground, he stood up and faced the giant. The giant had a rather messy attire, but most striking about him was the grizzly bear's skin, which he had tied around his neck like a cape.

"Aren't you that boy Ragnar met that one day Ragnar walked into a bar?" The giant asked.

"Uhhh… yeah?" Kayden was terrified by this man who stood at an overwhelming height of seven feet.

"Allow Ragnar to introduce myself. I am The—Great—Ragnar—Ironside!" the giant said, flexing his enormous biceps with each word.

Kayden looked shocked and confused at Ragnar's mannerisms. Ragnar grinned with a broad smile at Kayden's stunned confusion.

"Now for Ragnar's next question." Ragnar twirled his fingers around. "Who—are—you?" He ended, pointing both fingers at Kayden.

"I'm... Kayden…"

"Well, Kayden. What are you doing here? At Bacon Academy?" Ragnar asked.

"Well, I'm— wait. What did you just say?"

"Bacon Academy. Isn't this the place?"

Kayden looked even more confused at Ragnar's stupidity.

"I've… never heard of 'Bacon Academy.' This place is Beacon Academy."

Now it was Ragnar's turn to look confused. He rummaged in one of the many pockets of his brown cargo pants.

"Ragnar got a letter saying The Great Ragnar Ironside is to study at Bacon Academy." He said before handing Kayden a dirty-looking paper. Kayden looked at the paper before replying.

"You can read, right? It clearly says Beacon Academy."

"Of course, Ragnar can read! I am The Great Ragnar Ironside! Reader of two books!"

Kayden gave him back the letter, completely dumbfounded by what the giant had said. Annoyed, he turned and walked away from Ragnar. He heard the sound of pounding feet and turned around to see Ragnar's giant form jogging after him with such great strides.

"Wait! You must tell Ragnar where bacon is!"

"To find bacon, you have to find a fridge. To find a fridge, you got to find a kitchen."

"Wait! Where does Ragnar find kitchen?"

"I dunno. Maybe in the mess hall?" Kayden said.

"Then Ragnar and Tiny Friend must go there!"

"Ok, first off, we have to go to the Amphitheater now. There is a speech we are late for—"

"But bacon is calling me!" Ragnar interrupted, "Ragnar can sense that it is close by!"

Kayden sighed.

"Ok. Look. I will find you bacon if you come with me to the Amphitheater to listen to the speech. When the speech is over, I will get you the bacon."

Ragnar stopped in his tracks to think of what Kayden had said.

"Alright. Ragnar will go with you. But. You must get Ragnar all of the bacon."

"All of the bacon?" Kayden asked questioningly.

Ragnar leaned in close to Kaydens' face. "ALL OF THE BACON," he said forcefully.

Kayden leaned back from Ragnar, now looking slightly terrified. "Ok, then."

* * *

Alexander, Sebastian, and their guide stood in the Amphitheater, among many other new arrivals. Some from Vale and others from the other kingdoms like Vacuo. Ozpin walked onto the stage of the Amphitheater and addressed the students.

"I'll... keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction."

Some students whispered amongst each other as they heard what Ozpin said.

"You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

Ozpin finished and then stepped down as Glynda took the stage.

She directed, "You will gather in the ballroom tonight; tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are all dismissed."

Along with Alexander, Sebastian, and their guide, the crowd began to disperse for the ballroom.

As they were leaving, they heard a loud voice yell out, "WHERE'S THE BACON?!"

* * *

Sebastian and Alexander got into their sleeping bags in the ballroom as the others around them did the same.

Alex was wearing a wooly black bathrobe and pajama pants. He had replaced the goggles around his eyes with a black blindfold. Sebastian wore a white undershirt and brown pajama pants.

"We never did get your name earlier," Alex said to their guide, who wore a pair of green pajamas, which consisted of a shirt and shorts.

"It's Erick." The boy replied.

"So, Erick," Alex said with his chin in his hand. "Before we go to sleep, can I ask what kingdom you hail from?"

"I'm from the Kingdom of Vacuo," said Erick nonchalantly.

"What's your plan for studying here in the Kingdom of Vale?"

"I want to find my father."

"Your father?" Alex looked puzzled. "Why?"

"According to my mother, he left just after I was born. I'm searching for him here."

* * *

Kayden sat on top of his sleeping bag as he looked around the ballroom. Ragnar had wrapped himself in his bearskin instead of a sleeping bag and seemed ready to sleep. On the other hand, Kayden was looking over at four girls, three of whom were arguing amongst themselves.

"I was always on your side!" yelled a little girl with short black hair and red highlights to another girl with long white hair.

"Yeah, what's your problem with my sister? She's only trying to be nice!" shouted a tall girl with wavy gold blonde hair.

"She's a hazard to my health!" said the white-haired girl.

"SHUT UP!" Kayden yelled over at them. "Just shut up! You're a hazard to everyone's health! No one wants to hear about your midlife crisis! So just shut up and go to sleep!"

"Excuse me?!" the white-haired girl addressed Kayden snobbishly.

The blonde turned around and, with tremendous shock, Kayden recognized her as Yang Xiao Long and the short-haired girl as her sister Ruby Rose. "Well, well, well. Look at what the cat dragged in."

The fourth girl, who had black hair with a bow on her head and sat on the floor while holding a book, raised an eyebrow at Yang. "That's offensive."

"Man. I forgot how good those curves are," Kayden said carelessly under his breath while staring at Yang.

It was evident that she had heard him because she stomped over to him, pulled back her hand, and slapped him across the face. The sound of the blow echoed around the ballroom.

Ragnar got out from beneath his bearskin, stood up, and bent down to face Yang, who was nearly a foot and a half shorter than him. "No one slaps Ragnar's Tiny Friend here!" he shouted in her face.

"Oh?" Yang retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"Um, you don't..." Kayden started to say to Ragnar.

Ragnar slapped Yang in the face, causing her to keel over onto her side.

"Aaah, why did you do that to her?" Kayden panicked.

"She slapped Tiny Friend," Ragnar said. "What else was Ragnar to do?"

Having seen her sister fall, Ruby moved towards Ragnar and yelled, "How dare you hit my big sister, you giant meanie!"

Ragnar was about to flick Ruby on her forehead when Glynda entered the ballroom and cracked her crop weapon. Ragnar and Ruby were instantly thrown backward onto the floor. She stood towering over them.

"Children, please." She said, in a firm voice while gritting her teeth, "Do not fight when it is time for bed."

"Yes, ma'am," they both said.

Yang got up and rubbed the spot on her face where Ragnar had smacked her.

"Ugh, I did not see that coming," she said dazedly before she and Ruby went back to their sleeping bags.

* * *

A girl with tan skin and long black hair woke up in the ballroom. The sun was beginning to rise outside, and its rays shone on the slumbering new arrivals. The girl turned to her companions, another girl who closely resembled herself, and a girl with long, dark brown hair who slept beside her in their sleeping bags.

"Hey. Kitara. Jade. It's time to start the day," she murmured while being careful not to awaken anyone else.

The first girl yawned, and the second stirred in her sleep, then opened her eyes. The three of them slowly rose, bundled up their sleeping bags neatly in silence, and then the tan girl addressed them.

"Kitara and Jade, go clean yourselves and change in the bathroom. We will then have breakfast before going to the locker room to prepare for our initiation."

"Understood, Amythest," Kitara and Jade answered in unison.

After a quick shower, the two girls departed for the locker room and began to dress for initiation. Jade changed into a dark green silk tunic. Next, she put on a pair of dark green shorts, black stockings, thigh-high black boots with green trim, and an intricate gold pattern spiraling across them. Lastly, she brushed her hair back and tied it into a tight bun.

Kitara donned a blouse dyed a royal blue color. She then put on a matching combat skirt over black shorts. Finally, she put on royal blue thigh-high heeled boots before arranging her hair into a long ponytail.

After the girls had changed, they had breakfast with Amythest before heading to the locker room. Jade opened her weapon's locker, revealing a set of clawed golden gauntlets. She took them out and attached them to her arms. With a series of click-clacking noises, the gauntlets locked themselves around her arms. Jade bared her hands, and the clawed gauntlets' tips extended into seven inch-long blades with a "shing" sound. Jade relaxed her grip, and her gauntlets' blades turned back into short claws.

Jade looked over to Kitara, who had taken out her weapon: an enormous shuriken which she slung over her shoulders where it locked into place with a series of clicking noises. She then took out a belt covered in pouches, which she fastened around her slender waist.

"Kitara," Jade spoke up, "Did you see Pyrrha Nikos yesterday during Ozpin's speech?"

"Yes, I did," Kitara said casually. "I thought she would have preferred to remain in Mistral to study. Why is someone as famous as her coming here, to Beacon Academy in the Kingdom of Vale?"

Jade shrugged as Amythest entered the locker room.

"Ready?" She asked her group.

Jade and Kitara nodded and followed Amythest out of the locker room just as other people started to enter it.

Kayden walked down the hallway towards the locker room. Behind him, Ragnar followed. Ragnar's stomach was growling so loud that Kayden could hear it as they walked to their destination.

"Ragnar wants more bacon!" Ragnar declared hungrily.

"Dude, you ate a Goliath's weight in bacon." Kayden said irritably, "How are you still hungry?"

"The Great Ragnar Ironside is always hungry for bacon!"

Kayden stopped in his tracks and turned around before replying to Ragnar. "If you seriously want bacon that badly, then go back to the cafeteria!" Kayden was getting overly annoyed with Ragnar's persistence.

Ragnar stopped walking, looked at Kayden, and then back in the direction from which they came, while Kayden resumed walking towards the locker rooms.

Kayden looked back over his shoulder then did a double-take as he realized that Ragnar was heading back to the cafeteria.

"DUDE!" Kayden yelled in frustration.

"What?" Ragnar asked casually.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to cafeteria."

"Why?"

"' Cuz you said Ragnar could."

"Dude, I was being sarcastic."

"What is 'sarcastic'?"

Kayden opened his mouth to say something but closed his mouth and continued walking while slightly shaking his head. He raised his hand, gesturing Ragnar to follow him. With a shrug of his overly muscular shoulders, Ragnar came thundering after Kayden with his enormous feet like a massive dog following its minute master.

As the pair were going to the locker room, both Ragnar and Kayden spotted Yang around the corner, her back to them. Kayden walked up to her while Ragnar hung back. Kayden tapped Yang on the shoulder to get her attention. She turned around to face him.

"I'm sorry about last night," Kayden said with the expression of a sad puppy.

"Awww, I'll forgive you," Yang said. She paused for a few seconds before continuing, "if you do me a favor."

"Sure. What kind of favor?"

"I'll tell you later," Yang said with a smirk.

"_Great..._" Kayden muttered sarcastically under his breath before walking back to Ragnar, who had been staring at Yang icily the whole time.

* * *

Alexander, Sebastian, and Erick walked to the locker room to gather their equipment. They had already changed into their combat outfits, with Alexander wearing his black trench-cloak and dark goggles. Sebastian wore a brown leather vest over a dark green long-sleeved shirt. He had on a pair of dark grey pants and brown leaf sneakers. Erick, on the other hand, wore his desert-colored poncho, complete with his scarf.

Once in the locker room, they headed to their respective lockers, opened them, and took out their contents.

Alexander grabbed two black-colored cylinders, several inches long and the other, a foot and a half long. He attached the shorter of the two to the left side of his belt. Next, he took out two sets of kunai daggers in holsters, which he strapped to his thighs.

Sebastian took out a black colored sniper rifle from his locker, along with an ammo belt, which he slung over his head and onto his right shoulder.

Erick had removed his backpack from his locker and watched as Alexander stowed some kunai daggers into his cloak's inner folds before he turned to face Erick.

"Ready?" Alex asked.

Erick nodded silently, his face expressionless.

"I'm pumped for this!" Sebastian said eagerly. "I hope we end up on the same team, Alex!"

"I hope so, too," Alex agreed.

"If it's you and me, I doubt the rest could keep up with us!" Sebastian said this rather loudly.

"Sebastian," Alex said kindly, "I know we're in the locker room, but there is no need to shout."

With the trio all geared up, they left the locker room for their initiation.

* * *

A few minutes later, Alexander, Erick, Sebastian, and other students assembled on a cliff overlooking the Emerald Forest, each standing on a large silver tile. Professor Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch stood in front of them, Ozpin holding a mug and cane, and Glynda holding a tablet.

"For years, you have trained to become warriors," he said, "and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

Glynda spoke next. "Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of 'teams.' Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates... **today**."

"What? Ohhh..." A girl with short black hair and red highlights said, sounding disappointed. Alexander ignored her.

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well." Ozpin said.

The girl groaned audibly, but Ozpin continued as though he had not been interrupted.

"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

"**Whaaaat?!**" The girl shouted out in dismay.

Ozpin continued, "After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you **will** die.

A guy with short, scraggly blonde hair laughed nervously before gulping.

"You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene," Ozpin said calmy. "You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"

The scraggly blonde boy raised a hand. "Yeah, um, sir?"

"Good!" Ozpin said, ignoring the raised hand. "Now, take your positions."

Alexander squatted on his tile in preparation for a jump. Sebastian, who was on the tile next to him, gave his brother a thumbs-ups and a cheerful smile, which Alex returned. No sooner had the two brothers exchanged smiles; the tile launched Alex upwards and into the air.

* * *

Jade watched as the dark-robed boy was launched into the air before positioning herself to be catapulted off her tile. She looked over at Amythest, who gave her a grin before her tile shot her into the air. Jade crouched, and after a few seconds, the tile launched her into the air and towards the Emerald Forest.

Jade spread out her arms as she flew closer towards the trees. Catching onto a thick outstretched branch with her clawed gauntlets, Jade used her momentum from the fall to swing on the branch like a gymnast flipping around a bar. She turned gracefully over and under the branch four times before swinging into the air towards another tree. With her gauntlets' claws extended, Jade caught the side of the tree's massive trunk and corkscrewed down to the forest floor, landing neatly on both her feet. Retracting her claws, she darted through the trees in search of either Kitara or Amythest.

* * *

As Kitara sailed through the air, she aimed downwards and blew outwards from her mouth. A few bushes below her were instantly crushed, as though an unseen force had squished them. Her fall began to slow down considerably like a petal falling from a blossoming tree. Touching the ground gently, she removed the enormous shuriken from her back, held it in her left hand, and began heading in the abandoned temple's direction.

As she ran among the trees, she pushed through some bushes and came face-to-face with four large Beowolves. Upon spotting her, their pack leader roared, and they darted around her in circles, cutting off any means of escape. Unfazed, Kitara held up her shuriken and pulled in the middle hole. The shuriken split into two.

She hurled one shuriken at a Beowolf and then another. The spinning blades sliced through the two unfortunate Grimm who twisted violently in their death throes. Kitara held out her hands, and the shurikens stopped flying further but still spun at a fast rotation as though they were attached to invisible circular saws.

She pulled her hands back, and the shurikens flew towards her, still spinning. Kitara directed the two blades at the other two Beowolves, cutting one in two but missing the fourth. The Beowolf pounced on her and opened its mouth, ready to devour her.

Suddenly, a shot rang out, and the Beowolf fell dead on top of Kitara. Kitara pulled herself from beneath the monster's corpse and got up to see a boy balancing skillfully on a tree branch with a sniper rifle in his hands, clad in brown, green, and grey attire. He had a friendly face and blue eyes.

"Are you all right?" he called out to Kitara.

"Did you watch me fight the entire time while I singlehandedly fought against those wolves?" Kitara yelled back, slightly annoyed that she had to be rescued by this sniper.

"Hey," the youth protested, "I only just got here."

Kitara stood up, brushed herself off, and turned to leave. The boy, on the other hand, jumped out of the tree and hurried after her.

"Wait!" the boy called after her. "We made eye contact! We're partners now!"

Kitara ignored him.

The sniper boy caught up with her and grabbed her shoulder. No sooner did she feel his hand's touch, Kitara turned around and slapped the boy across his face with her gloved hand. The boy recoiled from the force of the blow and rubbed his stinging cheek.

"Ouch."

"Hmph!" Kitara thrust her nose into the air, turned around, and walked away.

"Wait!" The boy called out again as he ran after her.

* * *

As Jade ran in the direction of the abandoned temple, she picked up the sound of a Grimm to the right of her path. She turned towards the noise and ran into a clearing where Amythest was facing an enormous Death Stalker. Amythest had a pair of sais drawn, and a pulsating green light covered their blades.

The Death Stalker brought its massive gold-colored stinger down at Amythest, who dodged out of the way. The Grimm creature pulled up its deadly stinger, leaving a deep imprint on the ground. At that moment, Amythest dashed along its left side and held out her right glowing sai to the Death Stalker's spindly black legs. The sai cut through the legs like a hot knife through warm butter, filling the Emerald Forest's air with the scent of charred flesh.

The Death Stalker let out a screeching hiss of pain and flailed its tail around, striking down trees with loud crashings. Jade extended her golden claws, charged, and pounced on the creature's face with flawless timing and precision. Upon making contact, she stabbed at the Death Stalker's cluster of eyes with her claws, blinding it, and then lept away. Now half-blinded and half its legs missing, the Death Stalker attempted to retreat backward, clicking its massive pincers menacingly.

"Amythest," Jade called, "I'll distract it while you go for its remaining legs."

"Gotcha," Amythest responded, flourishing the sais in her hands.

Jade ran at the retreating Death Stalker, scratching its bony plates with her claws as she passed by. The creature turned its attention towards her. As it did so, Amythest ran to its side and removed the last of the legs.

Now rendered immobile, the Death Stalker swung its pincers and stinger in an attempt to defend itself. Despite its weakened conditions, it had no plans of going down without a fight. Both Jade and Amythest positioned themselves for where they would strike.

"You go for the pincers. I'll attack its stinger." Jade ordered.

Amythest nodded and readied her sai. She lunged and jumped over the left pincer with a flip. As she passed over the joint, she slashed it with her sais. The pincer fell to the ground with a loud thud. The Death Stalker aimed its stinger at her and brought it down. Amythest lept away just in time, allowing Jade to sever the connection between the stinger and its tail. Amythest and Jade lept into the air and brought their bared weapons down on the defeated creature's head, killing it.

Seeing that they had killed the creature, Jade and Amythest stepped back. Jade breathed a sigh of relief.

Amythest stretched her arms a bit. "Well, that certainly got my heart pumping," she said.

"You've got that right," Jade replied. "Have you seen Kitara at all?"

"No, I haven't." Amythest shook her head.

"At least we found each other. We'll head to the temple, grab a relic, then head back to where the teachers are waiting for us."

Amythest nodded, and the pair of them set out for the temple, unaware that Kitara and her unlikely partner were close at hand.

* * *

Ragnar trudged along in the temple's direction, his heavy boots leaving visible tracks in the grass. He held his ax in one hand while the other hand was at it his side. All the while, he whistled a happy tune to himself. Its rhythm was inconsistent, speeding up and slowing down at random.

As he walked along, he spotted a very familiar figure stuck in a tree, holding onto a branch for dear life.

"FRIEND!" Ragnar exclaimed with glee.

The figure looked down and said with a groan, "Oh no..."

Ignoring Kayden's predicament, Ragnar walked under the tree and looked up at Kayden, clutching the branch. Ragnar looked at his ax. He looked at the tree. Then he returned his gaze to Kayden.

Ragnar nodded his head while looking at Kayden, smirking.

Kayden, terrified, shook his head no.

Ragnar nodded vigorously, still smirking.

Kayden vigorously shook his head no.

Ragnar nodded even more vigorously than before and raised his ax to the tree's trunk as Kayden rapidly shook his head.

Suddenly, Ragnar leaped high into the air, and as soon as he was level with Kayden, he swung his ax at the branch, cutting it in one blow.

"PRANK!" he yelled gleefully.

"No–AHHHHHHHH!" Kayden let out a long scream of terror as he fell, letting go of the falling branch before landing on Ragnar's bulky shoulders while Ragnar skillfully caught the severed tree limb.

"There! Ragnar's Tiny Friend is saved!" Ragnar proclaimed boastfully.

Kayden stopped screaming but held on tight to Ragnar's shoulders, trembling the whole time. "I hate you," he said teary-eyed.

With a trembling Kayden clutching his forehead, Ragnar shrugged and walked in the direction of the abandoned temple.

* * *

Erick Nemo walked through the woods, taking in his surroundings as he did so. The sun was shining through holes in the forest's roof, and everything seemed peaceful so far. However, growing up in the harsh and unpredictable environment of Vacuo had taught Erick that even a serene moment could quickly be shattered by the appearance of a Creature of Grimm. His green eyes darted around the forest and listened for noises that would be different from other non-Grimm forest creatures.

After a few minutes, his ears picked up the sound of Grimm nearby. With a gesture from his hands, his backpack unzipped, and the Iron Scales flew out and into the air. Running through some bushes, Erick came face-to-face with two Ursa Major Grimm. Upon spotting him, the two creatures let out roars that shook the air and forest around them before lumbering towards Erick, their enormous paws pounding the ground like thunder.

The first Ursa swung at Erick, but he dodged by jumping backward. Unleashing more Iron Scales from his backpack, he directed them at his first attacker. The bits of metal flew through the air at the Ursa, cutting it all over its body. The torn skin from the attack exposed reddish-black flesh, and the creature roared in pain.

The second Ursa, walking on its hind legs, closed in and brought its front paws crashing down. The ground quaked with the blow's force, knocking Erick off his feet, which caused his Iron Scales to fall to the ground and stunning both Ursa. Erick swiftly rose and directed the Iron Scales at the Ursa he had injured first.

The Iron Scales formed a somewhat crude collar that locked around the Ursa's neck. Erick made a gesture as though he was crushing an invisible object in his hand, and, at once, the scales began crushing the Ursa's throat. Before the Ursa realized what was happening, the Iron Scales broke its neck, severing its head from the body.

Only one Ursa Major now remained.

Some now bloodsoaked, the Iron Scales traveled back towards Erick as the last Ursa regained its awareness. Suddenly, two red kunai daggers flew through the air and lodged themselves deep into each of the Ursa's hind legs. They exploded in a large burst of fire, burning off the black furry flesh of the bearlike Ursa Major.

The Ursa Major howled in pain as Alexander Magnus came out from beneath the trees' shadow, a sword in his right hand, its blade crackling with yellow lightning. Suddenly, Alexander moved with blinding speed, slicing off the Ursa Major's ruined hind legs in his sword's two sudden swings. The Ursa howled, and at that moment, Erick directed a portion of his Iron Scales down the creature's throat and out through its neck, killing it.

Alexander pressed a button, the lightning covering the sword disappeared, and the blade collapsed into the black handle.

"Erick?" Alexander asked.

"Yes?" Erick responded without a trace of emotion.

"Are you alright?"

Erick nodded, and, without another word, he continued walking in the direction of the temple, his Iron Scales floating along behind him like a glittering cloud.

After a few more encounters with Grimm, the pair arrived at the abandoned temple, in which various chess pieces were resting on pedestals. There were rooks, knights, pawns, even king pieces.

"Which one should we take?" Alex asked his companion as he examined the relics.

Erick picked out a white pawn and held it out to show Alexander.

"I would rather take a rook, but then again, a pawn will suffice," Alexander said, and they departed the temple with their selected relic.

On the way back, Alexander attempted to converse with his rather silent companion. "You said last night that you wanted to find your father since you never met him."

Erick nodded.

"What would you do if you find him?"

"...I haven't thought that far ahead yet," Erick replied.

After some time, the two made it back to the cliff where Ozpin, Glynda, and four other students waited.

* * *

Back in the Auditorium, Ozpin addressed the crowd as a screen displayed portraits of those who passed the initiation.

"Amythest Yamamoto. Jade Yamamoto. Kitara Hasashi. Sebastian Magnus. The four of you retrieved the black king pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team Amythest (AHYS), led by... Amythest Yamamoto!"

The audience applauded as Team AHYS left the stage after they were announced. Once they had taken their place in the audience, Ragnar, Kayden, Alex, and Erick walked on stage.

"Ragnar Ironside. Kayden Creiso. Alexander Magnus. Erick Nemo. The four of you retrieved the white pawn pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team Caffeine (KAIN), led by... Kayden Creiso!"

The audience cheered harder. Ragnar flexed his enormous biceps, kissed them, then gave Kayden a heavy pat on the back, who fell sprawling onto the stage floor. Once Kayden had picked himself up, Team KAIN took their place among the audience, and various girls flocked around Ragnar.

Four other boys walked onto the stage, and Ozpin addressed them. "Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team Cardinal (CRDL), led by... Cardin Winchester!"

The audience clapped as Team CRDL walked off stage and took their place among them as a new group walked on stage.

"Jaune Arc. Lie Ren. Pyrrha Nikos. Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team Juniper (JNPR)."

Amid the clapping, Nora laughed and hugged Ren.

"Led by... Jaune Arc!" Ozpin finished announcing Team JNPR.

"Huh? L-Led by...?" Jaune stuttered at finding himself the team leader.

"Congratulations, young man," Ozpin addressed Jaune as a grinning Pyrrha offered a friendly shoulder bump to Jaune, who was promptly knocked over and fell on his rear in front of the laughing audience.

Once Team JNPR had left the stage, four girls took their places on stage.

"And finally: Blake Belladonna. Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team Ruby (RWBY). Led by... Ruby Rose!" Ozpin finished.

Weiss looked to her right, surprised that Ruby was the leader. On the other hand, Ruby Rose looked absolutely shocked as Yang went over and gave her a crushing hug.

"I'm so proud of you!" she said out loud to her.

Ozpin watched as Yang hugged her little sister.

"It looks like things are shaping up to be an... interesting year," he concluded.


End file.
